The Pontiff beatified Dun Gorg Preca, Nazju Falzon and Sister M. Adeodata Pisani during a beatification ceremony at the Granaries in Floriana on Wednesday 9th May 2001. Tens of thousands of people attended the function, many of whom had been standing there since the early hours of the morning. After celebrating mass, Pope John Paul II was taken to the apostolic nunciature in Rabat for some hours of rest and a meeting with Maltese Bishops. At about 4:45pm he arrived at the Church of the Center of the Society of Christian Doctrine in Blata l-Bajda where he visited the tomb of the Blessed Dun Gorg Preca and met with and spoke to the members of the Societas Doctrinae Cristianae in the Center's auditorium. At the end of this meeting the Pope left for Malta International Airport in Gudja where he departed for Rome at 7 pm, arriving at Ciampino Airport after a 90-minute flight onboard a special Air Malta flight KM 1002.